The Honeyeater by Jessie Tu review – this biting tale of backstabbing uber-egos will stay with you

Tu’s second novel, charting a young translator’s messy relationship with a two-faced academic couple, brilliantly dissects power and whiteness

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Jessie Tu’s second novel is a searing critique of academia, but one that cleverly weaves in an exploration of skewed power dynamics, the nature of translation, and mother-daughter relationships. It is a novel that will stay with you.

Fay is a young up-and-coming translator, working in Taiwanese and English. We join Fay and her mother as they embark on a two-week group tour of France. Despite this being a trip she’s always dreamed about, Fay’s mother lives in a constant state of fearful fastidiousness, wiping down every surface in their motel rooms, and endlessly worrying about the day-to-day dangers of travel.

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The Honeyeater by Jessie Tu is published by Allen & Unwin ($32.99)